It’s not our cup of tea, but we can see how hardcore cinephiles can get easily worked up about behind the scenes photos of movies that are still in production — it’s likely not too dissimilar from how we feel when we catch a glimpse of an upcoming motorcycle before its release. It’s not our thing, but we can understand it.

What is a lot easier to understand though is when an actual motorcycle gets caught by these Hollywood spy cameras, as is the case here. On the set of the next Avengers movie, the eagles eyes of the linkbaity Daily Mail caught photos of what is clearly an electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle — piquing our interest, of course.

Our comic book nerd friends tell us that the relationship between Captain America and Harley-Davidson go back to the comic’s inception in 1941, but as of late the Bar & Shield brands have enjoyed a synergistic marketing relationship.

At the Captain America: The Winter Soldier premiere, the Harley-Davidson Street 750, which also had a notable role in the movie, featured heavily on the red carpet.

Harley-Davidson used the youth-oriented movie to highlight its next-generation cruiser, which will be built in India and targeted towards younger riders in the Western world.

While the Street 750 was highly tipped and rumored for the US market in 2014, its appearance on the set of Captain America was used as a vehicle (see what I did there) to promote and build hype for the bike before its US debut.

Seeing the photos now of the electric Harley-Davidson, which looks incredibly refined and ready for market, is an interesting sight, especially considering the recent context of the Harley-Davidson and Captain America brands. But what does it all mean?

What surprises us the most about the motorcycle seen here is the quality, which leans us away from a simple one-off model for movie-goers consumption. The design takes into account real world motorcycle scenarios, and is devoid of fanciful elements that would never word outside the big screen.

Frankly, it looks like an electric motorcycle that Harley-Davidson would build, if the company built electric motorcycles.

Is this a new model to come from Harley-Davidison, which the company is teasing or debuting in the Hollywood film? Is it a concept being floated out to the general population to gauge interest in a very non-traditional Harley-Davidson motorcycle? Or are we just reading too much into all this?

We will let you decide, but first note the lack of a clutch lever on the handlebar, the distinct Harley-Davidson branded brake calipers, and the craftsmanship of the drivetrain enclosure — someone put a great deal of thought and energy into making this bike look like a production model. Why would they do that? Thanks for the tip Richard!

Thats actually a really (really) good looking motorcycle, but I just can’t even fathom Harley making something that looks like this, or having the technological know how to produce a good electric drive train for it.

The belt drive looks similar, but the rear sprocket isn’t quite the same and it’s on the opposite side from their newer bikes. Zero moved the belt for 2013 from the right side to the left side; the motor can spin in either direction, but it’s a non-trivial modification.

The frame, tank, plastics, wheels, etc etc are all different. Zero did sell power trains separately from the bikes, so it’s conceivable a prop-building company got ahold of some for one-off builds.

It does look good, though.

Bruce

There’s no way that’s a Harley. Doesn’t make enough noise, clearly.

Related:

Nick

Looks like a modified Lito Sora.

Anvil

It’s not a Sora. The chassis is totally different.

This is a very good looking bike. But if it’s an actual upcoming model targeted at young people, it had better not cost $20k. It’s got to be somewhat affordable. An affordable, low-volume H-D e-bike? Not likely.

Maybe they think they can grab some high-income urban 30-somethings. Could be, but I’m more inclined to believe this is a trial balloon.

Let’s see.

hoyt

Very Cool, but not sure about the look of the swingarm & one front disc w that little caliper.

If this is on its way, where would it get serviced?

sean

Is the motor enclosure on the bottom? I don’t pay much attention to electric bikes, but this would be the first i’ve seen with a longitudinal motor axis. That’s a good orientation if you want to lower the motor while keeping good turning clearance, but it seems to require at least one 90-deg gear pair to drive the forward sprocket, which is going to cost range.

And is that duct-work for air-cooling that i see at the front and back of the motor enclosure?

The Street for the US market is built in the USA. The Street for the Indian market is built in India. The article suggests the Street models built in India are imported to the west, which isn’t the case.

Agent55

despite the electrical powerplant, it looks miles beyond any HD I can think of short of a race ready XR1200X. Solid design.

Mountainrider

Typical HD where are the good brakes

Mountainrider

Typical HD where are the good brakes

AHA

Now that’s what I call helmet hair.

Maybz

The Buell kickstand and Buell-ish rear shock and swing arm suggest to me that it has shared DNA with the Zero. Zero’s VP of engineering came from Buell

Maybz

…which was owned by Harley.

Tim

I’m on board. At first glance, I wasn’t sold on the rear fender. But it’s different and I kinda like it. 2015 model please?

Richard Gozinya

@Maybz

I doubt any Zero DNA, as their only expertise would be in the powertrain, and that expertise isn’t exactly on par with what Harley could just as easily have hired elsewhere. Mission, Brammo, Lightning, Tesla, they all have far better technology than what Zero throws out there. And keep in mind that when Harley last went to another manufacturer for help, it was Porsche, so they do have pretty high standards on that sort of thing.

Singletrack

And the faux tank could house a big subwoofer that would pump out Potato-Potato sound vibrations at the riders chest & crotch.

Duval_Diddy

Black Widow is a squid… Well she’s wearing leathers I guess. But not even eye protection?!

Jason

Finally, a Harley I would buy!!! I love it. Pushes all the right buttons for me. Build it in real life please

Yeeha! Stephen

“Bruce says:

June 16, 2014 at 1:45 PM

“There’s no way that’s a Harley. Doesn’t make enough noise, clearly…”

All ya got to do is clothes-pin some playing cards to the spokes!

Grey Matter

Hmm.. That front end geometry looks painfully similar to a brand they axed several years ago, not to mention the similarly contoured cast aluminum frame sans fuel containment. Is it possible HD has finally figured out their style needs to change? I doubt it since HD has stock in do-rags and chromium.

it becomes in my area up around Buffalo I’d like to test drive one but not from BuffaloHarley Davidson one of the other Harley shops in the area but any other show I’d be more than willing to take a look at them it looks interesting and definitely different thank you I just don’t understand how many miles on it charged yet I need to be out in the middle of somewhere and have the battery go dead